November 2016

Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Events, Family Vacations in Toronto, Lifestyle talk

Visiting Toronto in Winter

November 28, 2016

Visiting Toronto in winter might send a shiver down your spine, but as long as you bundle up there are a lot of things to enjoy in this chilly city during the winter months. Plus, there will be fewer tourists, flights and accommodation will be less expensive. You may even have the opportunity to get to know the locals. Here are some of the reasons visiting Toronto in winter can be enjoyable.

There’s Always Somewhere to Skate when Visiting Toronto in Winter

Toronto has approximately 50 skating rinks run by the city, which means that no matter where you are you can always find somewhere to strap on your skates and glide gracefully across the ice (or crash awkwardly into the boards). Check out the rink at Nathan Phillips Square, the Colonel Samuel Smith Park skateway in Etobicoke or the covered rink at Greenwood Park.

You Can Feast at Winterlicious

When you have worked up an appetite with all of that skating, you can warm up inside and enjoy the fantastic culinary scene that Toronto has to offer. Winterlicious will run in the last week of January for two weeks and during this time many restaurants throughout the city offer a menu of discount fixed price dinners. Each menu showcases starters, entrees and desserts and features the specialties of the restaurant. The 2017 event will take place from January 27th to February 9th and more than 200 restaurants will be taking part.

You Can Warm Up Inside a Museum

When the weather outside is chilly, you can stay warm within some of Toronto’s fantastic museums and art galleries. The Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario are the big names, but there are also many others to explore including the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, the Ontario Science Centre and the Bata Shoe Museum.

You Can Do Some Underground Shopping

Want to be able to shop until you drop without having to brave the freezing temperatures? The underground PATH system has 19 miles of retail shops and restaurants, making it the largest underground shopping complex in the world. You can spend all day shopping, eating and exploring without ever having to venture outside.

Hockey Season will Be in Full Swing

Cheering along with the roaring crowd at a Toronto Maple Leafs game is an essential Canadian experience to have during your visit to this great city. Winter is the best time to do this, as you will be visiting right in the middle of the hockey season. If you want to learn more about the sport before the game, you can visit the Hockey Hall of Fame and learn the stories of the best players in the NHL.

These are just a few of the many reasons why visiting Toronto in winter is great, even during the coldest months of the year. Wear a toque, breathe the crisp cold air, stop for regular hot chocolate breaks at Tim Hortons and enjoy!

Business Travel, Fitness and Health, Lifestyle talk

How to Relax After a Busy Day at Work

November 18, 2016

A few suggestions for recharging your batteries and how to relax after a busy day at work.

Some work days can be so exhausting that even though you were simply sitting at a desk all day, you feel like you have run a marathon. Perhaps you had to speed through some work to meet a deadline, or you had to mediate in tense and stressful meetings, or you had to do a mind-numbing task that leaves you mentally drained. If you have had a day at the office, when you come back to your home in your furnished accommodation, your priority should be to relax, recharge and rejuvenate yourself. Here are some simple tips on how to relax after a busy day.

You might be tempted just to put on some trashy reality television and zone out with a bag of potato chips, but here are a few different ideas for relaxing after a busy and draining day at work:

Create an at Home Spa

You can totally immerse yourself in a soothing spa-like environment, without having to pay the expensive prices that spas charge these days. With a few little touches you can turn your bathroom into your own private home spa. Scatter a few tea light candles around the room and turn the lights down. Burn some incense or use an oil diffuser with a relaxing scent such as lavender. Treat yourself to some luxurious bath bubbles and run the hottest, bubbliest bath ever. As you ease yourself into the hot bubbles while the candlelight flickers around you, you’ll forget about everything that was stressing you out.

Take a Walk

Walking is a great way to relieve stress and help you feel more calm. The physical exercise will release endorphins in your brain which will improve your mood. Plus, the fresh air and sunlight will also benefit your mood and overall well-being. Look for a nearby park in Toronto or nature trail and go out exploring. It doesn’t matter if you walk with a friend or a four legged friend or just by yourself – you’ll benefit either way and will help you relax after a busy day.

Work On a Creative Hobby

Many people find that having a creative hobby that they enjoy really helps them to relax and recharge when they come home from a stressful day at work. It allows them to turn off their analytical left brain and use their creative right brain for a while. Often being immersed in the act of creating something can put you in a calm “flow state” and allow you to forget about everything else for a while. Your creative hobby can be anything you are interested in, whether it is knitting, painting, wood working, jewellery making, drawing or anything else.

Watch Something that Makes You Laugh

Another great way to unwind after a busy day at work is to put on a funny movie or TV show or watch videos of your favourite comedian. Researchers at the University of Maryland in the USA have linked laughter to healthier blood vessels, reduced stress, higher anti-body production and a stronger immune system.

These are just a few ideas for relaxing after a busy day on the job – what’s your favourite way to relax after a busy day?

Business Travel, Downtown Toronto, Relocation

Downtown Toronto – Qwest Furnished Rentals

November 8, 2016

Our Qwest location is situated right within one of the most desirable neighbourhoods in downtown Toronto. Whether you are visiting the downtown toronto apartments on business or pleasure, these fully furnished one and two bedroom suites will offer you a great location and excellent amenities.

When you want to cozy up for an evening in, these furnished apartments in downtown Toronto have everything you need to cook a delicious meal and curl up on the couch with a good movie. If you feel like venturing out to enjoy the exciting dining and nightlife Toronto has to offer, then you will be close to a wide range of options.

A Prime Location

Staying at the Qwest means that you will be within close reach of a number of the most popular attractions in downtown Toronto, including the Eaton Center, the Princess of Wales Theater, the CN Tower and Queen Street. You’ll be within walking distance from the many excellent restaurants, pubs and bars of the entertainment district.

The neighbourhood receives a 100/100 Walkability score on Walkscore.com. This means that most errands can be reached on foot and anything that you might need is within walking distance of the apartment. Also, the Qwest is located close to the Osgoode subway station and you can use the convenient Toronto public transit system to reach nearly any destination in the city.

There is also excellent choice for cuisine within the neighbourhood. Toronto’s culinary scene is wonderfully diverse, with several different restaurants including Korean barbeque, Japanese food, Indian cuisine, steakhouses and much more.

Top Notch Amenities

You will be surrounded in comfort, with premium plush pillow top mattresses and white linens and an LCD flat screen television in the master bedroom. The spacious suites are renovated, with modern furniture. If you don’t feel like going out to eat, you can self cater in the fully equipped kitchen including stove, dishwasher, refrigerator and microwave. The kitchen has everything you need to make yourself comfortable, including cutlery, pots and pans, a coffee maker and other small appliances.

Stay in touch with the world with unlimited wireless high speed internet and enjoy no-charge local calling within North America (excluding some locations such as Alaska, Hawaii and the Yukon.) You’ll also enjoy a premium HD television package with more than 100 channels including HBO and premium movie channels. If you want to relax after a busy day of conferences or sightseeing in Toronto, the Qwest location also offers a relaxing whirlpool and sauna.

The building has 24 hour security personnel as well as controlled building access and secure underground parking. Also, tech support is available 24/7 with only one touch. Weekly housekeeping is also included, with careful attention to detail.

To find out more about our Qwest location or to make a booking for your next visit to Toronto, please feel free to contact us at any time.